ya a engine is nothing compared to a human life for sure.

Ray

 

There are people in prison for life over mass murder because they thought they could drive home from the bar they got sloshed at....

Think very seriously about that - you could be next if you don't.

"Driver went over the curb into a family waiting at bus stop..."

"Lost control on interstate, causing fifteen car pile-up"

(Driver survives and is charged for it)

- and then there is:

"Rolled several times and collided with guard rail"

"Lost control on curve and went over edge of road into valley. All within vehicle perished from impact 300 feet below"

"Met oncoming vehicle at combined speed estimated at 180 miles per hour"


?

Why....

Just plain WHY....

 

 

I just know I am going to get hammered for this but going to say it anyway.

The one thing that irritates teh daylights out of me on drunk driving statistics is the lies associated with it. To me they do more of a disservice to the people that have been killed, and to the families of said victims by lying then anything else. example of this is how the determination of alcohol related accidents works, and how they twist the facts to make it look like they are making a difference in dui's. Fact is if you have 1 beer after work, your driving home and some teenager talking on his/her cell phone not paying any attention and slams into the back of your car... Do you realize that goes into the records as a alcohol related accident? Basically a little truth in advertising would be nice on this.
Another issue I have is different BAC levels just based on your occupation. Now understand I don't drink hardly ever let alone drink and drive but it still irritates me no end that truck drivers have a lower BAC before considered drunk. .04 for truck drivers, now if that was just in a commercial vehicle I would say that is actually too high, but since I have a class A CDL that level is it even in my personal vehicle.
Next suing Budweiser over a dui death should instantly be thrown out of court this is just a way to look for deep pockets and help the person that actually did the crime to avoid personal responsibility.

Ok enough of my ranting now onto other stuff related, someone already mentioned it but celebs need to be actually made to serve their sentence, nothing irritates me more when they are let go, allowed to do community service, or just plan given a ride home. maybe some people would realize it's not cool if some celeb gets sentenced to and actually served 30 days for DUI

As to DUI in traffic related deaths being murder... I think that in many cases yes, but to make it instant automatic your going to take the teeth out of the law and make it look bad. See example of distracted teenager above, now what if the person that had a beer had 3 instead and is now considered legally drunk but is just sitting parked with engine running, legally this constitutes DUI now distracted teenager comes along hits back of the car careens off over an embankment flips the car and since not wearing a seatbelt is ejectaed form the car and killed, mandatory law would mean the drunk would be charged with murder even though he was parked, and this has the affect of making it all look bad.

 

Monsterbaby,
You won't get any criticism from me. I don't have a CDL, but I work on big trucks and this topic has come up more than once. You're right about everything you said. My brother came up on an accident a few years back on I-64 east of Lexington Ky. A driver in a car fell asleep and crossed the median and hit a semi truck head on in the opposite lane. The driver in the car was killed. The semi truck driver was charged for causing the accident because he was operating the truck illegally because they found traces of illegal drugs in his system. They said that since he wasn't suppose to be driving, he would not have been there to cause the accident. So, instead of hitting a big truck, maybe the car could have hit a minivan full of kids. Or just run off the road and hit a tree. I could have seen charging the semi-driver with drugs in his system, but not for the accident.

 

i was hit from behind by a drunk driver in 1987.totalled my truck,injured me,my 2 year old daughter was in her car seat(she was ok,thank God). the drunk tried to drive away from the accident. two big guys following behind the drunk,jumped out and detained him until the police arrived.the drunk had 9 prior dui convictions,was driving while under suspension,had another dui charge up before the courts,the truck he was driving at the time he hit me was owned by his son,it had no insurance on it, the license plates were off another totalled truck. the drunk tried to say he was not driving,but it was his son driving,and had fled the accident scene(nice way to treat your son). i went to court to testify against him. the drunk sat outside the court room right beside me with his lawyer and discussed how they were going to try to beat the charges he was facing.he didn't even recognise me.-he wound up pleading guilty,got a 5 year driving suspension,90 days jail time.but they let him be sentenced after Christmas so HE could spend time with his family over the holidays.he drove to court and then drove home after court,while under suspension for his prior dui conviction. the penalties we impose don't work. i lost my brother in law june 2 this year to a hit and run driver.there has not been any charges laid yet to that accident, he left behind a wife and 3 young children. these sensless crimes happen all too often.